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Copyright N°. 



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COPYRFGHT DEPOSIT 



Copyrighted 1907 by 

Lillian De Waters 

Mount Vernon, N. Y. 

All Rights Reserved 



THE CALL PRESS, NEW YORK 



JOURNEYING 
ONWARD 



BY 

Lillian De Waters 



PRICE, ONE DOLLAR. POSTPAID 



published by 

Lillian Dk Waters 

No. io North Tenth Avenue 

MOUNT VERNON, N. Y. 



• D 7 



LIBRARY of CONFESS 
Two Copies Received 

DEC 30 1907 

gswrncftt tntry 

<-*>*«. it, >qt>7 

GLASS CL ** c ' H& 
COPY 8. 



PREFACE. 

FOR those who are hungering after a 
better understanding of God, and 
for those who love Christian Sci- 
ence, this book is sent into the 
world. 

The author wishes to state emphatically 
that the truths contained herein, have 
been gained wholly through an earnest 
study of the writings of Mary Baker G. 
Eddy, the beloved founder of Christian 
Science. 

Christian Science is to be found in the 
Christian Science text book, "Science and 
Health with Key to the Scriptures," and 
it would be impossible for one to simplify 
or amplify the truth contained therein. 
Hence the author's purpose in sending 
forth this little book is neither to teach 
nor to explain that which our dear Leader 



has given to the world, but, with the sim- 
ple wish that it may find a welcome in 
answering some of the questions which 
were perplexing to the author and which 
may be to thousands of others brought up 
under like religious teachings. 

Lillian De Waters. 



JOURNEYING ONWARD. 

"^^ERTAINLY, we believe in the 

I Bible," said the Christian Scien- 

^^* tist, as she looked into the face 

of a minister with whom she had 

made an acquaintance, as their train was 

rapidly speeding along on its journey. 

"There never was so inconsistent a peo- 
ple," began the minister, "as Christian 
Scientists. They twist passages in the Bi- 
ble to suit themselves, and declare there is 
no such thing as sickness, sin and death; 
while all around us are the weary, heavy- 
laden with sickness, in the depths of 
despair and dying in countless numbers." 
Pausing a moment, he went on, "They tell 
the poor, there is no poverty; the sick, 
there is no pain; and console the mourner 
with the statement that there is no such 
thing as death." 

"Have you finished?" said the young 
girl, as she turned her face toward him. 
He saw a smiling face, aglow with health 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

and animation, and he noted the bright, 
joyous expression. 

"No," he replied, "I have much I would 
like to say to you; and if I am wrong in 
the thoughts I just expressed, I would 
indeed be grateful if you would correct 



me." 



The Scientist was glad to hear the ring 
of sincerity in his voice. "I do not believe 
in arguing," she returned, "but when one 
asks for information regarding Christian 
Science, I am glad, as far as I am able, to 
correct any erroneous ideas he or she may 
have on the subject. As I just said to you, 
we believe in the Bible. Now let us rea- 
son together and see if we cannot untan- 
gle some of these 'inconsistencies/ Of 
course you are familiar with the first 
chapter of Genesis?" 

"Read it for forty years," answered the 
minister. 

"Very good," said the young girl, with 
an amused look. "Who is spoken of in this 
chapter as our only Creator?" 

"God." 

10 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

"Has there ever been any other Cre- 
ator?" 

"Never. ''All things were made by him; 
and without him was not anything made 
that was made;" replied the minister, 
quoting from the first chapter of John. 

"Yes," agreed the Scientist. "Every- 
thing was created, and God's work was 
finished, so nothing was made after that; 
for, you know it reads, 'And God saw ev- 
erything that he had made, and, behold, it was 
very good! So we then have a list in this 
chapter of all God made. It was all good 
and His work was finished." 

"Certainly," returned the minister. 
"We agree precisely; I see no point of dif- 
ference there." 

"But, perhaps you may," said the girl, 
with a little nod. "Man was created spir- 
itually, l male and female! Is there any 
record there of sin, sickness and death 
being attached to him?" 

"No," with a little uneasiness. 

"Do you know of any medicines created 
or specified for man?" 

ii 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

"N-o, but—" 

"Now, we will have no 'buts' just yet," 
said the girl, smiling. "You admit, then, 
that God did not create sin, sickness and 
death, and did not provide remedies for 
man's welfare and comfort ?" 

"Well, there is no record made of it 
there," began the minister, "but, we know 
sin came with the serpent; and, surely," 
he continued, with spirit, "there is enough 
of medicine, of sickness and death around 
you, to know they exist, and you have 
said God was the only Creator." 

"Yes," she replied, thoughtfully. "I 
have been led to see and prove that truth. 
You acknowledge that God made all, and 
that there is no record of sickness in the 
creation. Now will you tell me, if He 
made all, and pronounced all good, and if 
there is no other Creator, who created 
sickness?" 

Her steady, clear gaze made him feel 
he was in a corner; but, endeavoring to 
appear at ease, he hastened to speak. 

"Supposing we should admit, for the 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

sake of the argument, that God did not 
create sickness; even then, we must ac- 
knowledge that He allows or permits it, 
for the furtherance of good in His people 
or for the sake of bringing them closer 
within the bounds of His infinite love and 
compassion." 

"If God does not create sickness," said 
the Christian Scientist, slowly, "where 
does He get it, in order to send it upon His 
children?" 

The man plainly looked embarrassed. 

"Why," he began, "that is a very queer 
way of looking at it. I had never thought 
of it in that light; but," he continued, 
"there is a power, you must admit, which 
we call evil." 

"Do you mean a personal devil?" ques- 
tioned the girl. 

"Well, er — " fumbling with his coat 
lapel, feeling that he might be entrapped 
again. "Why, yes." 

"Who made him?" inquired the girl 

"Why, evil has existed since the begin- 
ning of the world !" 

13 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

"But," exclaimed the girl, "you have al- 
ready admitted God made all, everything, 
and it was good!" 

The minister felt he was getting none 
the best of his fair arguer, but he replied 
in good faith, "Well, of this I am sure, 
that evil and sin exist. If they cannot 
come from God, they must proceed from 
some other source." 

"Yes, we agree there," said the girl, 
warmly, "but our point of difference is 
the 'source.' " 

"In your religion, do you believe that 
God does not send sickness?" asked the 
minister. 

"Yes," answered the girl. "If I thought 
God sent sickness, I should not try to get 
well; for it would not be wise for me to 
try to get rid of anything that God want- 
ed me to have. In fact, it would be a sin." 

"H'm. Do you think that God allows or 
permits sickness?" continued the man, his 
voice betraying his interest. 

"I have been fully convinced that He 
does not," answered the Scientist. "How 

H 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

could God, the only Creator, be conscious 
of that of which He is not the author?" 

"You do not mean to say," exclaimed 
the minister, "that you believe the All- 
knowing knows nothing of our sicknesses, 
pains and sorrows!" 

"Yes," answered the girl, "that is what 
I believe. ' Thou art of purer eyes than to 
behold evil! 'God is light and in him is no 
darkness at all,' quoting the familiar 
verses to him. Feeling that the minister 
had a goodly list of questions on hand, 
after a moment's thought the Scientist re- 
marked in a gentle way, "I would not have 
you believe that I am didactic. As you ask 
your questions in good faith, I can but an- 
swer them; but, I can not forbear telling 
you that you will find the answers to all 
your questions in the Christian Science 
text book, 'Science and Health with Key 
to the Scriphtres! written by Mary Baker 
G. Eddy. I have only answered your 
questions through the understanding I 
have gained by an earnest study of that 
book." 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

"I promise to bear that in mind, if you 
will but go on with the conversation. I 
am sure you will not refuse to talk with 
me if I assure you I really have a great de- 
sire to gain information regarding a num- 
ber of questions," said the minister, in an 
appreciative tone. "I believe I was going 
to ask you, before you interrupted me," he 
went on, eagerly, "since God knows 
everything, why does He not know sick- 
ness?" 

Feeling now that the right understand- 
ing existed between them, and remember- 
ing that happy hour when some one had 
lovingly pointed out the way to her, she 
hastened to answer: 

"You know, love is not conscious of 
hate; truth does not know a lie; and light 
does not recognize darkness ; so God, who 
fills all space, can know nothing but His 
own glorious brightness." 

"But, you cannot tell the sick that God 
knows nothing of their pain; the sinner, 
God knows nothing of his sin; and the 
mourner, God knows nothing of his 
loss!" 16 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

"Through the teachings of Christian 
Science, we have learned to tell the sick 
that God is Love, filling all space, and that 
man, as the image of God, is spiritual and 
perfect; that in God man lives, moves and 
has his being. Hence, he reflects and 
manifests only what is in God — and the 
sick are healed. To the sinner, we say, 
'Come, learn of God, who knows man only 
as His perfect child ; learn that sin has no 
power to bind man; learn through Chris- 
tian Science how to exercise this domin- 
ion over sin, to loath it and to find man is 
master, and not servant of sin/ " 

The minister was listening with great 
eagerness, but he noticed she was looking 
at him, yet far beyond him, as she contin- 
ued. 

"The mourner learns in Christian Sci- 
ence, that God is Life, and Life cannot 
cause death. He learns that the heavenly 
father does not snatch the babe from its 
mother's loving arms, nor make the in- 
fant fatherless. He learns that joy, hap- 
piness, harmony, life and peace are the 

>7 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

only real, true, normal conditions of man." 

"Do you believe," interrupted the min- 
ister, "that God does not take the babe to 
himself, does not call the father home, — in 
fact, that God does not take us from this 
sin-sick world to rest and peace?" 

"I believe that God is not the author of 
death," answered the girl, "that He does 
not cause it nor permit it, any more than 
the principle of mathematics causes one to 
make a mistake in addition." 

"Do you want me to believe," exclaimed 
the man, "that if this train should be 
wrecked, and I should be killed, God 
would not take me to His eternal home?" 

"Do you think an accident could push 
you into the kingdom of heaven?" re- 
turned the Scientist, quietly. "We live in 
eternity now; we partake of heavenly 
bliss, only as we learn to destroy sickness, 
sin and death, as the dear Master taught 
us. Death never placed anyone into 
heaven; for death you remember our Mas- 
ter said, is l an enemy! " 

The calm, sweet voice of the talker, 

18 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

made him provoked at his own irritability 
over the last words he had heard; yet he 
could not refrain from begging her to go 
on with her explanation. 

"People have been taught to say, ' Thy 
will be done,' " the Scientist continued, in 
answer to his question, "and instead of 
knowing God's will is the will of health, 
harmony and eternal life, they think it is 
God's will to be left in a bed of pain, and 
afterwards to be taken from their loved 
ones. Does it please God to have man 
suffer years of agonizing pain, in order to 
prepare him for heaven? or to kill a man 
by some inconceivably brutal accident, in 
order to usher him into harmony? I was 
amazed and pained the other day, when I 
saw a little boy gaze out of his window, as 
a funeral procession was going by. He 
ran to his mother, exclaiming, 'Oh, Mama! 
God has killed someone else !' The mother 
looked at me, horrified to hear her boy ex- 
press such a thought. She explained to 
me, that a few days previous, one of her 
son's little playmates had died, and, of 

19 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

course, she had told her boy that God had 
taken him. How natural it was then for 
the child to think as he did! Then again, 
I read the other day of a man drinking, by 
mistake, a quantity of poison instead of 
some cough medicine. Afterwards, it ap- 
peared in the obituary, 'Whereas it hath 
pleased God to take our beloved brother ;' 
yet, within a few weeks, the family 
brought a suit against the druggist, for 
not labeling the bottles correctly. Can 
you not see the utter inconsistency?" 
asked the girl, earnestly. 

"It reads in Job, ' The Lord gave, and 
the Lord hath taken away! Can you tell 
me how Christian Science explains that?" 
he said, in return to her question. 

"In proportion as we know God as Life, 
Truth and Love, we receive happiness, 
peace and health; while sorrow, discord 
and sickness are taken away from us — are 
destroyed," said the girl, simply. "As I un- 
derstand my Bible, now," she continued, 
lovingly clasping her Bible in her hand, 
"I know it does not mean that God gives 

20 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

us life and so has the right to take it from 
us at any moment. You must know that 
God cannot make a mistake. What He 
gives us is given forever and nothing in 
the whole universe can take it from us. 
You know it reads in the Bible, ' Whatso- 
ever God doeth, it shall be forever; nothing 
can be put to it, nor anything taken from 
it! Through Christian Science, I have 
been enabled to see that it is only our ig- 
norance of God that makes us believe we 
lose health and life; for the right under- 
standing of God proves that man is for- 
ever at one with Him, reflecting all that 
is in Him and nothing else." Pausing a 
moment, she asked, "For what purpose 
was Jesus sent into the world?" 

"He came to save sinners; yet, you say 
there is no sin!" thinking now he was 
scoring a point. 

"Jesus was the way, and we can gain 
the right understanding of God, only as 
we follow in his steps. The Master was 
our highest instructor of Truth. He came 
to save us from believing in sin, sickness 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

and death ; and those who are following in 
his steps are destroying these conditions 
as he did and are giving God the glory." 

"But," interrupted the minister, "do you 
Scientists not declare that you heal the 
sick?" 

"No," she replied, quickly. "God, Truth, 
is the only healer of the sick. The Scien- 
tist must know the Truth in order that the 
manifestation of sickness be removed. 
The Scientist is only the channel through 
which the Truth reaches the patient; as 
this pane of glass," she said, tapping the 
window at her side, "is the medium 
through which the light of the sun 
reaches us." 

"But," protested the minister, "if God 
knows nothing of sickness, how can He 
heal it? Surely one cannot destroy that 
which he knows nothing about!" 

"Understanding does not know ignor- 
ance," replied the Scientist, "yet it de- 
stroys it; nor does light have to know 
darkness before it is removed. Darkness 
cannot exist in the presence of light; so, 

22 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

sin, sickness and death cannot remain 
with one who has gained the spiritual 
light, the true understanding of God." 

"I understood you to say, there was no 
sickness!" persisted the man. 

The young girl did not seem at all dis- 
turbed by his persistency, or by his mani- 
fested interest, but replied with great pa- 
tience to all his questions. 

"I admit sickness seems real to the suf- 
ferer; yet it is not a reality, a truth, a right 
or normal condition of man. It is not real 
or eternal, because it can be destroyed; 
only that exists as a reality which cannot 
be destroyed. Black, you know, is not ad- 
mitted as a color, for it reflects no light. 
We know that the condition called sick- 
ness, exists all around us as you say, but 
the Truth of God as revealed to the world 
through Mrs. Eddy, removes this condi- 
tion, and the real, harmonious fact ap- 
pears." 

"Now, do you mind telling me," asked 
the minister, "where you are taught 

23 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

whence sickness comes?" determined to 
get at the root of the matter. 

"Jesus substantially called sickness the 
work of the devil," answered the girl, "for 
you remember, he came to 'destroy the 
works of the devil! and he destroyed sick- 



ness." 



"But, you believe there is no devil!" 

"The only devil one may have is the be- 
lief of evil in one's own thought," returned 
the girl, quietly. 

"Then do you mean to say, that sick- 
ness can be traced back to one's own con- 
sciousness?" the minister questioned. 

"I have learned," answered the girl, 
"that fear, ignorance and sin, promote sin, 
sickness and death; that their cause exists 
in the human mind, and it has been 
proven," she added, positively, "that their 
cure is in the divine Mind." 

"On what basis do you argue, that sin is 
the cause of sickness?" pursued the minis- 
ter. 

"You will remember Jesus' words to the 
impotent man, ' Sin no more, lest a 

24 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

worse thing come unto thee;' and to the 
sick of the palsy, ''For whether is it easier, 
to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, 
Arise and walk ?'" 

"Yes," replied the man, thoughtfully, 
"but you will remember, too, Jesus said, 
' They that be whole need not a physician, 
but they that are sick! He declared there 
that the sick needed a physician, rather 
than one to tell them of their sin." 

"I am surprised," returned the Scientist, 
gently, "that a minister should under- 
stand that chapter so little, as to neglect 
repeating the very explanation of Jesus' 
words; for, in the next verse he adds, 'But 
go ye and learn what that meaneth, . . . for I 
am not come to call the righteous, but sinners 
to repentance! It is the true physician who 
heals the sin as well as the sickness; who 
removes the cause, rather than spends his 
time in trying to remove the effect. It is 
a Christian act to clothe and comfort the 
poor; but is it not more Christ-like to heal 
the disease which causes the poverty? 
You may console one who is fearful that 

*5 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

some disease is developing in his system, 
yet, is it not more Christ-like to destroy 
the fear in that person's thought, thereby 
preventing the development of the dis- 
ease ?" 

"You are bound to meet everyone of my 
arguments, aren't you?" laughingly ex- 
claimed the minister. "Of course, I can- 
not now agree with all you say; yet, there 
seems to be a world of truth in it all," he 
added thoughtfully. "Now I would like 
very much to talk with you about prayer. 
I have heard so many times that you peo- 
ple do not pray — at least, you do not pray 
as we do." 

"Which would you think prayed the 
most understandingly, the man who be- 
sought God to direct him to a certain cli- 
mate that would help him to get rid of 
some disease, or the man who had been 
enabled to understand God well enough, 
to know that he could live in any climate, 
since God is everywhere? the man who 
trusts the physician to heal him, or the 

26 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

one who relies absolutely upon God, at- 
tributing to Him alone, all power ?" 

"But, we place God behind the physi- 
cian!" he exclaimed. 

"And we place God before the physi- 
cian!" the girl returned, joyously. 

"Yes," the minister said, very thought- 
fully, as if the admission cost him some- 
thing. "Certainly the results which Chris- 
tian Scientists bring out in their own lives, 
speak for themselves. But how are you 
taught to pray in Christian Science, if you 
do not pray as we do?" 

"You see," the Christian Scientist ex- 
plained, "you and I have different con- 
ceptions of God." 

"Yes, I have already begun to see that," 
admitted the man, good humoredly, 

"The much 'magnified man' thought, is 
a thing of the past to us. It reads on page 
140 of our Christian Science text book, 
' The Christian Science God is universal, 
eternal ', divine Love, which changeth not 
and causeth no evil, disease nor death! 
So, I am learning through this book, that 

27 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

God is an infinite, perfect, changeless 
Being, having all power, all knowledge, 
and filling all space." 

"Do you never think of God as having 
personality?" the minister asked. 

"Can you limit the Infinite," returned 
the girl, "to place or space? God is a liv- 
ing Principle, controlling, maintaining 
and governing man and the universe, har- 
moniously. Some people pray to God for 
some desired thing, and immediately won- 
der whether they will receive it or not. 
They argue with themselves, that it could 
not come this way or that, until they are 
convinced that it would be impossible for 
it to come at all." 

The girl paused, but the minister looked 
at her to go on. 

"Jesus said, ' Have faith that whatsoever 
ye ask for in prayer is already granted 
you, and it will be yours! This is as it ap- 
pears in the Twentieth Century New Test- 
ament. Jesus also said, 'All that the 
Father hath is mine! Many a one begs 
and pleads with God to answer his pray- 

28 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

ers, as a child pleads with his father to 
grant a certain request. No prayer uttered 
since the world began, has ever changed 
God, since He is unchangeable, 'the same 
yesterday, and to-day and forever! The Chris- 
tian Science prayer is one of possession, 
rather than one of need. We are taught 
to affirm as children of God, as heirs of 
Him, that man possesses that which He 
possesses. His goodness, His abundance, 
His power, His strength, His infinite bless- 
ings are ours now. By knowing this, and 
scientifically declaring that their oppo- 
sites — sin, poverty, sickness and misery — 
are false because they are not in God, and 
do not testify of Him; by scientifically un- 
derstanding these spiritual truths, we 
shall be brought into such a consciousness 
of the allness of God, that we shall behold 
and receive the manifestations of our de- 
sires or prayers." 

"Go on," he said, as the girl hesitated. 
"I love to hear you talk. You are a verita- 
ble preacher. You have not always had 
this idea of God?" 

29 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

The girl nodded regretfully. "When I 
was a child, I used to wonder how God 
could ever hear so many prayers. If a 
million people were praying at the same 
time, for a million different things, I won- 
dered how He could ever hear them, let 
alone answer them!" 

"I know you can explain it now," said 
the minister, eagerly. 

"The principle of mathematics," the girl 
returned, "so beautifully illustrates the 
principle of life. Should a million people 
sit down at the same time, and call upon 
the principle of mathematics to help them 
work out a problem, they would find it 
ready to help each of them bring about 
the correct answer, just as if he or she 
were the only one using that principle. 
So it is with us, we can each bring our 
problems to the divine Source of all knowl- 
edge, whether they be problems of sickness, 
sin or discord; and by applying through 
the teachings of Christian Science, the 
correct rules, the right answers or re- 
sults will be attained. In solving a prob- 

3° 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

lem in mathematics, should we fail to get 
the correct result, we would not sit down 
and ask or beseech the principle to help 
us ; nor would we find fault with the prin- 
ciple and rules and seek to change them. 
We would know at once that the fault was 
wholly within ourselves, that the failure 
was occasioned by some mistake in our 
work, or because we did not sufficiently 
understand the necessary steps/' 

"Then, do I understand that you do not 
ask God for anything, but simply en- 
deavor yourself to do the work?" ques- 
tioned the minister. 

"Jesus said, '/ can of mine own self do noth- 
ing! God's work is finished. We try to see 
so clearly the scientific truth that good fills 
all space, that all errors or mistakes go 
out of our thought and consequently their 
manifestations disappear." 

"Yet, I cannot see why you do not ask 
for things!" desiring to be satisfied. 

"You would not sit down at a table filled 
with food, and beg for something to eat, 
would you? Nor would you sit in a room 

31 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

flooded with light, and ask that you might 
be able to see?" 

"N-o— " 

"So," the girl concluded," we realize 
abundance of blessings are now within our 
reach; and instead of longing for them, 
and weeping because they are not ours, we 
have learned how to partake of them." 

"Then, you do not put your thoughts 
into words?" he pursued, earnestly. 

"Silently and mentally we commune 
with our Father-Mother God," the girl 
replied gently. "We do not seek to bring 
God to us, but we go to God. We strive 
to be in tune, in touch or harmony, with 
divine Love, that we may behold the 'fin- 
ished work.' This scientific, mental work 
leads one heavenward." After a mo- 
ment's thought, she went on, "Suppose 
you are in the water and you pull on a rope 
which some one on the shore throws to 
you. As you pull on the rope, you know 
it would seem to you as if you were bring- 
ing the shore nearer, instead of you draw- 
ing nearer the shore. Thus our nearness 

32 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

to God is wholly due to a better under- 
standing of Him." 

"Yes," assented the man, brightly, "I 
certainly understand that." After a pause, 
he asked, "What about your failures?" 

"As I illustrated in solving mathemati- 
cal problems," replied the Scientist, 
quickly, "so in our journey Godward. 
Should the right result not be immedi- 
ately apparent, it is not because God is 
wrong, nor because Christian Science is 
not true; but, because we have either not 
been sufficiently obedient, or because we 
have not sufficient understanding." 

"What do you mean by being 'suffi- 
ciently obedient/ " continued the minister, 
with interest. 

"We have rules given us in the Book of 
Life, which we must follow, in order to 
produce the desired results in health, har- 
mony and happiness; and," she concluded 
earnestly, "we have these rules interpreted 
to us so clearly in our text book, 'Science 
and Health! that every man, woman and 

33 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

child can prove, in some degree, their 
truth." 

"Having that book, you have not much 
use for a minister's prayers, have you? ,, 
said the minister, jokingly. 

"I used to know a minister," replied the 
girl laughingly, "who prayed for nearly 
everybody on the face of the earth. He 
began with the royal families and the 
president and his cabinet, then all the sick 
and sinful in the world, following with 
prayers for those listening and finally 
making slight mention of himself. This 
never appealed to me even before I knew 
of Christian Science. God does not bless 
us according to the length of our petitions; 
nor does He bless others upon our request. 
We would bless the world to a far 
greater extent, should we think pure, 
healthful and harmonious thoughts. Man 
should not presume to instruct God how 
to do His work, nor direct Him what to 
do in order to bless this one, or that one. 
Since God is omniscience or all-knowing, 
man need never advise Him." 

34 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

."You would not have me believe that 
my prayers for my people, for these thirty 
years, have been worthless ?" asked the 
minister, seriously. 

"I can simply tell you what I am learn- 
ing myself," returned the girl, gladly, 
"that we aid the sick, only as we under- 
stand and destroy sickness as Jesus did; 
that we aid the sinner, only as we show 
him his dominion over sin. We aid all 
mankind only as we send out thoughts of 
health, not sickness ; of love and harmony, 
not sin and discord; thoughts of life, not 
death." 

"I see, I understand," he replied very 
thoughtfully. 

"The presistent effort to put thoughts 
of hate, malice, jealousy, revenge, lust, 
self-righteousness, hypocrisy and all other 
evils out of the human mind, and to es- 
tablish thoughts of love, joy, peace, 
purity and meekness is indeed the 
unceasing prayer; and it is establish- 
ing the kingdom of heaven on earth," con- 
cluded the Scientist, confidently. 

35 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

"Then you find that claiming the pos- 
session of all good, as Mrs. Eddy teaches, 
you gain more than to ask for it!" he re- 
marked, as if to reassure himself. 

"I want to tell you a little incident, the 
girl said. "In talking with a friend the 
other day, she questioned me as to a cer- 
tain experience I had recently. She heard 
I had been in a position of great danger 
and had been miraculously saved. She 
asked me if I did not pray then to be de- 
livered safely. I told her I realized that 
God's child could not be injured; that 
there was no power outside of God and 
that nothing could therefore harm me. 
She was amazed as she heard this and 
exclaimed, 'How presumptuous! I would 
have begged God to protect me!' I asked 
her to imagine the son of a king of some 
nation, to be in company with those who 
did not recognize him. Would he beg of 
them not to injure him? or would he at 
once be conscious of his noble birth-rights 
and assert these rights and put to flight 
the foes? This argument was new to my 

36 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

friend, yet I am sure she would admit, it 
caused her to think more deeply on the 
subject. ' Whatsoever a man soweth, that 
shall he also reap! If we sow thoughts 
of fear, anxiety, doubt, discouragement, 
sickness, sin and death, we must inevita- 
bly reap these in effect. Whereas, if we 
sow thoughts directly opposite to these, 
they also will be manifested in result. In 
Christian Science the sowing of spiritual 
thought is prayer, and the reaping is the 
answer." 

"Your ideas have opened to me an en- 
tirely new line of thought," said the minis- 
ter, quietly. "Will you tell me why in 
your testimonies of healing, there is no 
mention made of the blood of Jesus, which 
cleanses us of sin; or of his death on the 
cross?" 

"I am glad you mention that," said the 
girl, in surprise. "I shall be glad to help 
you there. Jesus was the Wayshower, the 
man above all others who lived and taught 
the Truth. He healed the sick and sinner, 
raised the dead, and said, 'He that believ- 
eth on me, the works that I do shall he 

37 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

do also! Indeed, we are grateful to him, 
our example, for the love, compassion 
and truth which he manifested for us; 
but," she continued, "the blood of Jesus 
did nothing for mortals, even though it 
were shed on the cross; nor has his blood 
ever cleansed one mortal from sin. 
Christian Science teaches that sin is never 
forgiven until it is destroyed in the human 
consciousness and entirely forsaken. We 
are infinitely grateful to our dear Master 
for showing us the way to eternal happi- 
ness, peace and immortality; but we do 
not look to his personality, nor to his 
blood, but we look rather to his life, his 
deeds, his examples. And so, we are 
grateful to that dear woman, who has 
shown a sin-laden world how Jesus healed 
the sick, cast out devils and raised the 
dead." 

"There it is again!" said the minister, 
though in a very kind manner. "The Sci- 
entists can never talk Christian Science, 
without mentioning Mrs. Eddy. Though 
after all, I do not wonder so much, if, from 

38 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

her, you learn all these wonderful things 
you have been telling me." 

"You would not expound the Sermon 
on the Mount to a layman without telling 
him, Jesus delivered it, would you? Nor 
would you tell about the Ten Command- 
ments and omit that Moses wrote them? ,, 

"No," the minister answered, "indeed I 
would not. I must say," he admitted, as 
though he knew it to be a fafct, "Christian 
Scientists always have an extensive knowl- 
edge of the Bible. Were you always a 
Bible student?" 

"No, indeed, I must admit I was not," 
the young girl replied. "I presume I had 
not read a dozen chapters in the Bible in 
my whole life, until I came into Christian 
Science. I had often picked up the Bible 
to read, but some how or other it always 
appeared so like a history book to me — 
and I never did enjoy history," she added, 
with a decided nod of the head. "It would 
make me feel sorry, when I read or heard 
read, all those beautiful works of Jesus 
and knew that they could never be re- 

39 



• 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

peated. And what a joy when I found out 
that every word Jesus uttered is practical 
now! Indeed, I read my Bible every day. 
I would not feel as if I could begin my 
day's work without it. Mrs. Eddy has 
opened the Scriptures for us, and for that 
alone we owe her endless gratitude. Our 
hearts pulsate with love and thankfulness, 
as we think of the toil, sacrifices and 
hardships she has suffered for Christ's 
sake. She has been so misunderstood, and 
yes — cruelly and wickedly maligned." 

"But," interrupted the minister. "I 
should think one so spiritual would be 
protected within the arms of the Almighty, 
and would be loved and honored by all." 

"Do you forget," replied the girl, "that 
even Jesus, that great example of good- 
ness, was persecuted from city to city and 
crucified? He was denied, betrayed and 
deserted by the very ones he had toiled so 
hard to bless." 

"I am glad you told me that," replied 
the minister, thoughtfully. "I don't see 
why I never thought of it in that light be- 

40 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

fore. I know, you will give me the scold- 
ing I deserve," he remarked, hesitatingly, 
"when I tell you, I have often thought of 
looking into Christian Science, to see how 
all your fruits are made possible; but 
something always holds me back when I 
think of a woman, instead of a man being 
at the head of it." 

He might have been mistaken, yet he 
thought a pained expression seemed to 
rest on her face for a brief second. Look- 
ing thoughtfully at him, she said slowly: 

"Imagine yourself in a dungeon, dark, 
dismal, barren; yourself, cold, hungry, and 
wretched, bereft of all life holds sweet. As 
you sit alone in pain and helplessness, 
want and woe, you notice that the door 
which opens out of your dungeon is 
locked, bolted and secured in almost a 
hundred places; so intricate are its fasten- 
ings, you are positive you could never un- 
do them all; and even as you begin, you 
find your misery turning to despair. As 
you stand thus helpless — so alone — with 
the pangs of hunger, thirst and death star- 

41 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

ing you in the face, suddenly you are con- 
scious of some one telling you there is a 
way out; a way to open the door and es- 
cape from the doom of death; and a way 
to find food, drink and joy without. You 
listen with heart throbbing interest, as 
you hear that a woman had been in that 
same dungeon, and had found her way out. 
That she had opened the door and had 
found, Oh! such boundless freedom; and 
that she had left the directions for others. 
Even as you listen, you look around your 
dark and death-like cell again, and your 
hunger and thirst grow greater. You hear 
of the food, drink and shelter promised 
you, if you will but follow the directions 
given. Could it, oh, could it be true ! You 
desperately decide to follow no matter 
how tedious the work may be; but even as 
you start to obey, you remember with 
sharp regret — it was a woman who had 
first opened the door! You would be fol- 
lowing the teachings of a woman, were 
you to obey the directions given you. You 
sit down on the cold floor to think. If it 

4* 






JOURNEYING ONWARD 

only were a man how gladly you would 
make the attempt, but you could not — no, 
you could not obey the teachings of a wo- 
man, even though you were sure it would 
bring the long desired freedom!" 

The girl had turned her face away 
while she was talking, and now as she 
turned slowly toward him, she saw she 
had answered his question. His manner 
was humbled and his voice very low as he 
said, "The way you told that humiliates 
me in my own eyes. May I ask you to 
unravel, in your way, that little story of 
yours. I almost know what you will say 
but I want to hear it." 

There was no mistaking now the glad 
light in the girl's eyes, as she continued: 

"The dungeon is the dark, despairing 
thought of mortals, when all earthly props 
have been wrested from us, and only the 
door of death seems open to us. The door 
to health may be barred by material laws 
without number; the door to peace and 
happiness — Alas ! We dare not think what 
stands between us ! As we are in this set- 

43 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

tied gloom, some one tells us that there is 
a key to all these locks or barriers to our 
freedom. Tells us of one who was so pure, 
so unselfish, so attuned to divine Love that 
she had found her way out of just such 
despairing darkness; and more than that, 
that she has shown the way to others that 
they too may partake of this spiritual food, 
drink from this living fountain and find 
health and peace." 

"And you would add," interrupted the 
minister, as if to himself, "that there are 
people who choose their misery, their ar- 
rogance and pride, rather than use the key, 
because the door has been opened by a wo- 



man." 



The young girl continued: "And after 
one had followed that dear woman, and 
through her teachings had unbarred the 
door of his dungeon and found God's own 
freedom without — could he, could .you 
journey from this darkness to light, from 
suffering to peace, from ignorance to un- 
derstanding, without even a 'thank you/ 
to her who had shown you the way?" 

44 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

"Your little story has touched and hum- 
bled me," said the man. "One would cer- 
tainly be an ingrate who could refrain 
from giving thanks to such an one, be it 
man or woman. I cannot begin to tell you 
what your last few words have meant to 
me. My very first purchase when I leave 
this train shall be a copy of Mrs. Eddy's 
book, Science and Health. I shall read it 
gladly and I must confess in a much hum- 
bler attitude than I ever dreamed I could 
possess. Your talk with me has given me 
a great desire to get this book, and find 
out how all these things of which you have 
told me, are possible; and I believe you, 
when you say, one must find out from 
your text book. I can never thank you 
enough for your wonderful kindness and 
patience. The time has flown so rapidly, 
I have not realized the hours we have 
talked. I see I am nearing my destina- 
tion, and must now leave you," he said, 
rising, as the train stopped. "I shall never 
forget your helpful words and I know we 
shall meet again." 

45 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

Looking into her face, he clasped her 
hand, warmly, lifted his hat, and stepped 
from the train. 

The young girl leaned back in her seat, 
rejoicing, that another hungry heart 
would now seek the Christ Truth and en- 
ter the true path to the "way of life." 




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